Annual Conference sessions
Browse all conference sessions since 2010
Science ♥ society
2019
"The blob: a genius without a brain".
2019
"Mathematics as Material Play"
Equity & Inclusion
2019
A blindfolded experience to grasp visual accessibility requirements.
Business & fundraising
2019
The session explores different models for financing our institutions and tackling the biggest challenges we face in the search for a diversified and balanced model.
Strategy & vision
2019
The Supreme Court of the Ecsite Conference will decide whether virtual reality (VR) in museums and science centres is visceral reality providing vital reactions, or just virtually rudimentary and very rubbish.
Research, theory & evaluation
2018
James Beacham is a particle physicist involved in the ATLAS experiment at CERN. Watch a video of his keynote.
Science ♥ society
2018
“Go forth and collide, Multiply and create” is the motto of our Science Assembly. Inspired by religious revival meetings, we will offer you songs, laughter, inspiration, and meaning.
Exhibit development
2018
Are you facilitating creative team processes? Tired of always using the same old tricks? Interested in the wider potential of creative techniques? This session is for you.
Strategy & vision
2018
What is the future of science centre exhibitions? Do we need to stick to scientific phenomena, or focus on high tech and current science? Do we concentrate on objects or interaction? Or are physical exhibitions becoming obsolete in the digital era?
Research, theory & evaluation
2017
Professor Alice Roberts is an anthropologist, author and broadcaster, and Professor of Public Engagement in Science at the University of Birmingham. Watch a video of her keynote.
Science ♥ society
2017
Nina Simon has been described as a “museum visionary” by Smithsonian Magazine for her audience-centred approach to design. Watch a video of her keynote.
Research, theory & evaluation
2016
Dr. Frans de Waal is a Dutch-American biologist and primatologist known for his work on the behaviour and social cognition of primates. Speech title: Prosocial Primates: The Cooperative Background of Our Species
Equity & Inclusion
2016
Dr. Elizabeth Rasekoala is the President of African Gong – the Pan-African Network for the Popularisation of Science & Technology, and Science Communication. Watch a video of her keynote.
2015
Andrea Illy is the Chairman and CEO of illycaffè S.p.A., a family coffee business founded more than 80 years ago. Watch his speech on Ecsite's YouTube channel.
Strategy & vision
2014
Professor Ian Goldin is Director of the Oxford Martin School and Professor of Globalisation and Development at Oxford University. He delivered a speech entitled "Individual and Collective Wisdom and Failure".
Science ♥ society
2014
Ahmet Üzümcü is the Director general of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). The OPCW is the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize 2013.
Strategy & vision
2013
Dominique Pestre is a social and political historian.Hos speech was entitled "What kind of innovation for the Anthropocene?". Watch the keynote on the Ecsite YouTube channel.
Strategy & vision
2013
Susan Greenfield is a neuroscientist at the University of Oxford and delivered a speech entitled “ The neuroscience of creativity – Making the most of 21st century technology”. Watch the keynote on the Ecsite YouTube channel.
Strategy & vision
2012
Martin Rees, Professor of Cosmology and Astrophysics at the University of Cambridge, gave a speech entitled "Space exploration, life and the cosmos".
Strategy & vision
2012
Carlo Ratti, Professor at the MIT, gave a talk entitled "Future Cities - The real-time city is now real!"
Science ♥ society
2011
Derrick de Kerckhove, Professor at the Department of French and former Director of the McLuhan Program in Culture and Technology at the University of Toronto, gave a speech entitled "Navigating among the shoals and reefs of social, state and business controls in science and technology".
Strategy & vision
2011
Michael Jones Chief Technology Advocate, Google, gave a speech entitled "The Billionth Visitor".
The first Ecsite Conference took place in 1989. Here you can browse all Conference sessions since 2010. Use the search engine to look for people, topics...
Looking for an older session? Our digital records start in 2007, with programme pdfs attached to each conference page.
Explainers & visitor services
Owain DaviesWencke MaderbacherAnthony RichardsOwain DaviesSawsan DalaqAlina NatmessnigCarlos Catalao Alves
Confident, experienced staff are rightly recognised as a key ingredient to operating a successful science centre. They are essential in all areas, from front of house explainer roles through to managerial and administrative staff. But how can we...
Antonina KhodzhaevaViktor PlassJiayi JinVassilis Vassilis PapakonstantinouHendrikje BrüningUrsula WarnkeKenneth MonjeroChristiane TheniusAliki GiannakopoulouAsli SamadovaYijia JinCarmen FenollosaAndrea RiccioAndrea Troncoso QuilaqueoSuzana Filipecki MartinsTomas RehacekIsabel Machado
A selection of posters showcasing non-profit projects will be displayed in the Business Bistro area throughout the entire conference. Join this special time slot to meet poster authors and engage in conversation.
Amito HaarhuisEffrosyni NomikouMaarten OkkersenClaire Pillsbury
Science centres and museums today are taking active part in gearing their audiences for the so-called "wicked problems" of the 21st century. At the same time, science centres are facing pressure to respond to challenges such as increased...
Malvina ArtheauKate KnealeMelissa RichardMatthieu VernetIsabelle Chabanon-PougetDaniela De AngeliAntoine BlanchardDaniel Rosqvist
The GameLab is an informal drop-in space entirely dedicated to gaming.
Want to play some yet-to-come games designed by science centers? Ready to participate in an on-going experiment of collectively designing a game, from idea to...
Giovanni StijnenGiovanni StijnenMarjoleine van der Meij
These days science centres and museums are more and more called upon to act as public fora, places where visitors can meet and talk about important issues such as climate change, environmental protection, public health and new research areas such...
Suzana Filipecki MartinsPippa HoughIngvar TjostheimSheldon Paquin
The amount of data we generate continues to rise exponentially. The systems we've devised to collect, store and share that data are getting ever more complex. In this session we investigate how we can use big data.
We'll explore...
Julie BeckerMaarten OkkersenKate PhillipsSolveig ArnesenPhilipp Breuss-SchneeweisÅsa SundelinMonika FibyMaja SandeCybèle RobichaudKate Driver
After a successful first edition in 2015, the Open stage is back! In this session, speakers have exactly four minutes on stage and a video projector at their disposal to share experiences, epiphanies, projects, opinions etc with other...
Heidrun SchulzePhil LoringMelanie WunschJoe HastingsIris OttBojan Markicevic
The current refugee situation is seen as a big societal challenge and will result in further diversification of our communities. We want to explore if and how this motivates science centres and museums into action and cooperation.
The...
Cyril DworskyKaroline IberSimona CerratoChristiane Thenius
In recent years, universities and other research organisations made manifold attempts to open up their institutions and facilities to allow for new encounters with science, arts and humanities. Considering that Children’s Universities create...
Justin DillonVesna PajićDea BrokmanMeie van Laar
What can science centres and museums do regarding gender equity apart from events and programmes? There is more than one answer to this question.
In this session speakers from different science centres and museums explain how they answered...
Welcome to the conference's official start. Meet our hosts for the next few days.
Annette KlinkertWiktor GajewskiVesna PajićSamuela CaliariHeidrun SchulzeLeonardo AlfonsiAnita Fuchs
Science centres and museums are moving part of their activities out of their premises. These outdoor activities enable science centres to communicate and promote science with wider and more diverse audiences.
What can we accomplish by...
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